And Unto Us
by KrystalClear101
Summary: Taking a break from Sinnoh, Ash returns to Pallet for the holidays. When he arrives, he is met by a breath taking surprise that will change his life possibly forever. What kind of surprise is it? Read and find out! Sorry if the summary isn't good!
1. Chapter 1

**Kris: Hi! Hi! Everyone! It's almost Christmas!**

**May: It is huh?**

**Ash: MISTLETOE!**

**Mikey: Ew…**

**AJ: I second that…**

**Kris: Yeah well, this is my last story of the year so I'm trying to end it on a good note.**

**May: I am excited!**

**Gary: Of course you are, you're in almost all of her stories.**

**Ash: What are you doing here?**

Gary: Hey, if AJ & Mikey can make an appearance then why can't I?

**Ash: Because May and I actually like them.**

**Kris: I'd be concerned if you didn't Ash. Anyway, I don't own Pokémon.**

**All: Start the Party!**

And Unto Us

Chapter 1

It was a late Tuesday afternoon in the small, quaint town of Pallet. White flakes of snow could be seen falling silently to the ground as two pokémon trainers made the long trek up a hill that looked over the town. It was a sight to behold, Pallet. Every roof was covered in a soft blanket of white and the streets paved with slush. But the most remarkable sight of them all was the bright assortment of lights that lit up each home in a unique way.

The trainers were amazed at the designs and fixtures of different pokémon such as Stantler and others. They gazed at the each house while making their way through town. One of the trainers, Ash Ketchum, felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him as he walked alongside his companion with his Pikachu perched on his shoulder. Next to him was Dawn Berlitz. Her eyes were glued to the trail of lights that lit up the afternoon.

"No matter how many times I see it, I still love Pallet at Christmas time." The raven-haired boy said, looking up at the sky with a smile on his face. The green scarf around his neck flowed with the wind and snow. Dawn nodded in agreement as she straightened her own red scarf.

"Yeah…" she added in a light tone of voice. Ash gave the girl next to him a concerned look before turning back to the sky.

"Are you sure you're all right with spending Christmas away from your mom?" he asked. Dawn gave a sigh full of humor before turning her gaze toward him.

"Yes. I'm okay Ash. My mom and I both knew that it was going to be this way before I even started traveling with you. It's cool." She reassured him. He reluctantly agreed with her and continued on their way with one destination in mind.

"Plus I'm excited about finally getting to meet your mom." She exclaimed, clasping her gloved hands together. Ash smiled at her and turned his attention back to the road. The lightning pokémon on his back stiffened then hopped off his shoulder and onto the frozen ground below.

"Pika pi, pikachu pi pika!" It exclaimed, sprinting ahead. Ash looked confused for a second then followed suit behind the rodent. Dawn was the last to catch on to the mad dash for Ash's house.

"Huh? Hey guys, wait up!" she yelled, chasing after them. Ash was in a moment of bliss with the adrenaline pumping through his veins as he inched ever closer to his home.

'_Almost there…I can't believe I've missed being here so much…'_ he thought to himself, the white fence coming into view. He slowed his run down to a paced walk and made his way up the path to the door, Pikachu waiting patiently on the mat. The anxiety overflowing, Ash knocked on the door. Dawn was soon as at his side, panting quietly.

Once the door opened, the two trainers were immediately welcomed by the warmth of a home. Ash's mother, Delia, was there to greet them once they slipped off their snowy shoes and replaced them with a pair of slippers waiting for them. The brown-eyed boy took in the smell of his home and smiled.

"Welcome home Ash!" he snapped out of his daze and was met by not only his mother but a few of his other friends as well. Standing before him, decked out in traditional Santa hats were Misty, Tracey, and Gary. He was surprised to see all of them.

"Hey! What are you guys doing here?" He asked, removing his jacket, Dawn following suit.

"You're mom told us you were coming home so we thought we'd be here to greet you." Misty exclaimed stepping forward. Ash turned back to see his mother giving off a bright smile.

"Wow, thanks guys. Oh yeah, guys this is Dawn." He said introducing the girl. Dawn smiled and waved to the group, recognizing only Gary out of the group.

"So you're Dawn? Ash has mentioned you a few times. You're a coordinator right?" Misty asked, making conversation. Dawn nodded.

"I sure am. Ash told me about you as well. Pikachu sure can do a number on a bike huh?" Dawn gave a laugh. Misty joined in as well.

"Tell me about it…" Both girls continued to laugh as they made their way into the main part of the house leaving the three boys standing by the door while Ash's mother retreated to the kitchen.

"They sure hit it off great…" Tracey muttered, scratching behind his neck. Gary scoffed, placing his hands behind his head.

"Would you expect anything less? I mean they have plenty to talk about." The brunette said, turning his attention to Ash. The latter laughed nervously.

"I guess you're right about that…so what have you guys been up to?" Tracey gave his question some thought before answering. Gary shrugged.

"Well, I've been helping the professor with everyday stuff, you know? Oh yeah, he wanted you come by today when it was convenient for you." Tracey added.

"He did? I wonder what for…" Ash's voice trailed off as he stifled a yawn.

"Yeah well, it was nice seeing ya Ash, but I should probably head on home. I still have a lot of things to do before I go back to Sinnoh." Gary said, taking a glance at his wristwatch then stuffing his hands in the pocket of his white lab coat. Ash nodded with a smile, while leading Gary to the door.

"Thanks for stopping by. Hey, when are you going back?" he asked.

"A couple days after Christmas." He said. Ash nodded and opened the door, letting in the crisp, cold air. He waved good-bye and shut the door, turning his attention the artist. Tracey stood awkwardly in the hallway, staring at the Christmas decorations all around the house.

"So Ash, how's Sinnoh? From the things Gary has told me, it seems like a pretty cool region to go to." Tracey started. Ash perked up at that.

"It is. I have four badges." He exclaimed in a proud tone of voice, poking his chest out slightly. Tracey gave a laugh.

"Just what I'd expect from you." He said.

"Dinner's ready!" Delia called from inside the kitchen. Dawn and Misty entered from the living room, laughing as they passed Ash and Tracey. The two boys shrugged, following behind them into the kitchen.

.-.

After dinner, Tracey and Misty left and to go back to the lab and Dawn said she wanted to go into town to do some shopping. That left Ash and his mom alone in the house. Delia cleaned the dishes from dinner while Ash retreated to his room where he laid down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He sighed, a hand resting on his stomach and the other behind his head. Pikachu was next to him, nestled in a ball, snoring quietly.

The trainer yawned, closing his eyes slightly. As soon as he did this, Pikachu awoke from his slumber to find that his trainer was sleeping. The electric type uncurled itself and stretched, shaking its tail. He scratched behind his ears before hopping off the bed and walking out the door, closing it behind him.

At the sound of the door closing, Ash jumped from his sleep. His heart was racing when he sat up. He scratched behind his head, trying to figure out what happened.

"I guess I must've fallen asleep." He said looking around. "Huh? Where'd Pikachu go?"

Sure enough, the pokémon was missing from the spot he was at when Ash fell asleep. Ash slid off the bed and walked out of his room and down the stairs where Pikachu was sitting by the door like he was waiting. Ash walked down the last step and gave his starter and arched eyebrow.

"What's up buddy?" the trainer asked.

"Pika pi, kachu pika pika." He said, pointing out the door that's when it hit him. Professor wanted to see him for something.

"That's right! We could probably go now." He said, grabbing his coat from the rack along with his gloves and scarf.

"Go where?" his mother asked, entering from the kitchen while drying her hands on a towel.

"Over to the lab. Tracey told me that the Professor wanted me to come over when it was convenient." He explained. Delia nodded.

"Make sure you bundle up!" she gave one last word before he disappeared behind the door. He zipped his coat tightly and secured his green scarf around Pikachu's neck. Once that was done, the two began to make their way done the road to the lab.

"Hey Pikachu, what do you think the professor is calling us down here for?" Ash asked. Pikachu shrugged. Ash copied his starter as the lab came up into their view. With a new sense of excitement, Ash quickened his pace and skipped a few steps and before he knew it, he was at the door. He welcomed himself inside, slipping his coat off and hanging it on the hook by the door.

"Hey Professor! It's Ash!" he called throughout the lab. He walked further into the building when his eyes caught a white lab coat. The professor turned around, holding a red bowl of pokémon food in his hand.

"Hello Ash, it's been awhile. I'm glad you could make it." The older man greeted him.

"Yeah, so what's going on?" he asked looking down at the pokémon sitting at the professors feet. He immediately recognized the Bulbasaur to May's based on the heart designs on its head. He smiled, bending down to his level.

"Hey Bulbasaur." Ash said with a smile. The Bulbasaur smiled as well, recognizing the trainer. It ran to Ash and extended a vein to which Ash shook as a friendly gesture.

"Right. The reason I requested you come here it because of May and your Bulbasaur." The Professor cleared his throat, and odd warmth rising to his cheeks. At that, Ash's heart began to race.

"Is something wrong? What happened?" he panicked picking up the unsuspecting Bulbasaur and inspecting it.

"Calm down Ash, it's nothing serious or bad. They've gotten awfully close over the years and well. About a month and a half ago Tracey found a egg with them where they usually sleep." he finished looking over at Ash.

Ash looked stunned beyond all belief.

"Wow…they had…an egg…together?" he scratched his head nervously.

"Yes that's right. So I was going to call you over to discuss the matters of the egg along with May." Oak said walking out to the ranch.

"What, so May's coming here?" Ash asked stunned once more. Prof. Oak nodded and smiled.

"She should be here by tomorrow morning. If I remember correctly she was at home the time I called her." He pondered.

"Oh, where's the egg? And my Bulbasaur?" he said, a strange feeling developing in his stomach.

"Your Bulbasaur is over there, keeping watch over the egg." The professor said, pointing to the grass-type sitting beside a green and beige colored egg. May's Bulbasaur walked over to Ash's and sat down next to him.

Ash slowly approached the two Bulbasaurs with an uneasy smile on his face.

"Hey." He smiled and knelt down to their eye level. His own Bulbasaur looked up and recognized his trainer. He smiled brightly showing off the egg to Ash.

"Whoa. Is that the egg?" he asked them. May's Bulbasaur nodded and leaned on Ash's with a red blush creeping on her cheeks. Ash laughed and looked at the egg.

"Wait 'til May sees this." He laughed.

**Kris: It was just a lot of general stuff in this chapter. **

**AJ: PLOT BUNNIES!!**

**Gary: I'm still here!**

**Ash: For like five lines…**

**Gary: But you can't get rid of me!**

**May: For like five lines…**

**Kris: Anyway, the next chapter is on its way!!!**

**All: Thanks for reading! 4 Sure!**

**R&R**


	2. Chapter 2

**Kris: Hi! Hi! Everyone! **

**May: I'm excited!**

**Ash: I know huh? **

**Kris: So this is the next chapter, get ready!**

**AJ: Wait! You can't do this without us! It's tradition!**

**Mikey: Breaking tradition so close to Christmas? Have you no shame?**

**Kris: Oh shut up! Since you two are so hooked on tradition why don't you do the disclaimer?**

**AJ: Fine but we're not doing it for you…**

**Mikey: For the tradition!**

**Both: KrystalClear101, the almighty tradition breaker, does not own pokémon. FOR THE TRADITION!**

**Kris: I hate you both…**

**All: Start the party!**

**Kris: I'm the mighty authoress not the tradition breaker!**

And Unto Us

Chapter 2

The birds of Kanto chirped softly as they welcomed the coming morning. Snow lightly fell from the sky as the gray clouds concealed the rising sun. Several people hopped out of bed and started their day but one trainer in particular chose today of all days to sleep in.

"Does he always sleep in this late?" a familiar voice whispered.

"Everyday, except Saturday's. He gets up early to watch the morning cartoons." That one sounded familiar too.

"Typical Ash. Hey…wake up sleepy head…" May whispered into the unsuspecting trainer's ear.

"I'm gonna master…them all…" he mumbled sleepily.

"Uh…Ash wake up!" he fumbled with his sheets in shock, causing himself and fall out of bed with a loud thud. The women in the room covered their mouths with their hands in order to hold in the laughter.

"Huh? What? May?!" he gasped in shock.

"Hey there!" she greeted him with her usual smile.

He rubbed his eyes a few times and blinked before he came to realize that one of his best friends was standing right in his room, looking down on him with a grin. He shook the surprise away from his mind and frantically stood up to greet his friend who just so happened to be a girl.

"Uh, hi there May." He grinned at the girl and scratched behind his head nervously. She had her hands clasped behind her back as she stood there and smiled at him. He noticed that there was something different about what she was wearing.

Underneath her orange dress was a long sleeved black top. Also, instead of her biker shorts and orange and green trainers, she had on black jeans and orange and green boots that passed her calf.

"Ash, why don't you get ready for the rest of the…afternoon?" his mother advised. He laughed and pulled his sheets back.

.-.

"Professor Oak said you'd be here but I didn't think you'd get here this early." He scratched his head strangely as he sat down to breakfast.

"Ash, it's almost noon. Besides my boat left at seven this morning." She laughed at his comment as she took a bite of her half eaten bagel.

"Oh well, I guess you're right." He began to scratch his head again as he laughed. May joined in on the laughing as she watched her friend develop a blush across his tanned cheeks. The brunette looked around the kitchen as if someone were missing.

"Where's Dawn? Did she not come with you?" May asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Oh, Dawn is out shopping again." Delia shrugged, placing two plates in front of the two trainers. One being breakfast for Ash and other, lunch for May. May nodded in gratitude as Ash dug into his food.

"She took Pikachu along for the ride this time. She said she almost got lost yesterday. She would've taken you but you were sleeping so peacefully." Ash gave a sigh of relief to which May laughed then earned a glare from the boy.

Ash sat there quietly as seconds passed. He was stuck in his own thoughts. He looked up to see May taking a sip from her drink while absentmindedly spinning her gloves along the table. He gulped down the last of his eggs before sitting his fork down.

"So, I'm guessing professor Oak told you about…well…know you." Ash brought up the reason why May was here in the first place. He was trying to avoid the direct subject as much as possible.

"Uh yeah, he did. What do you think of the situation?" she asked him while finishing up the remainder of the bagel.

"Well, I think it's…um…it's kind of…gee I don't know." He shrugged with a smile. May shook her head at his chopped speech.

"What do you think about it?" he asked with a smirk, somewhat hoping that her response would be similar to his.

"I think it's sort of cute…in a way." She looked down at her plate with a light color of pink on her cheeks.

"Really? I wanna go see 'em. Come on!" he shot up from the table, grabbed May's hand and shot for the door.

"There he goes again…" Delia sighed as she took a seat at the empty table and munched on a single strip of bacon. Delia was happy that he was back home to stay at least for a while. She always loved it when he would come home.

The duo was quickly approaching professor Oak's lab as Ash continued to drag May along with him much to her dismay. He was excited as ever to show May the new egg that their own Bulbasaur's had laid on their own without their trainers' knowledge. Of course May was excited to see her Bulbasaur too but the lab would still be there even if they slowed down a bit.

But something inside of her somewhat enjoyed the strong grasp Ash had on her wrist. She smiled thinking about the last time her pulled her along. It was when that group of grass type pokémon had cornered her with her back against a tree. And then Ash swooped down by vine and cleared the path with Pikachu then grabbed her by the hand, leading her away from danger.

Although this wasn't any type of dangerous situation, the same emotions from that day had welled up inside of her, if only for a moment. She sighed and continued to run right behind him. The adrenaline inside of her begged to challenge him though, so she released her hand from his grip and ran ahead of him.

"Betcha' can't catch me!" she teased him with her tongue sticking out. Ash was a bit surprised by her competitive gesture but accepted the challenge nonetheless.

"Oh yeah?" with that, he chased after his friend as she giggled ahead of him with the confidence that this race was hers. Ash's ears clicked at the sound of this giggle as he found it vaguely familiar. He shook the thought off as reminders of the race began to roam through his head.

'_I can't live with myself if I lose to a girl, let alone my best friend, May. I have to pick up the pace!'_ With new found confidence in every step, Ash soon made his way up to the girl who thought she had long since lost him behind her.

"Ash!" she shrieked as he sprinted in front her with a laugh of his own.

"Looks like this race is mine!" he shouted to her with a happy expression. May growled ahead and tried to gain her speed back but the snow was a lot slippery than she had anticipated. Her foot slipped and before she knew it, the ground was getting closer and closer.

Ash noticed her falling and took action by running back. From that moment on, time seemed to slow down. As Ash got closer, May continued to fall and braced for the light pain she was sure would be running throughout her body at any moment.

But it didn't happen. Instead of feeling the cold snow hit her back she felt hands. Somehow, Ash had managed to run back and catch her before any physical damage was done. She looked up at her savior with surprise as well as gratitude. He smiled down on her and helped her to her feet. Once she was standing, she brushed herself off and smiled.

"Thanks." She looked down at the ground that was about to cause her some minimal pain.

"No problem. But maybe we should walk the rest of the way." He suggested as he took her hand again, confusing her.

"Why are you holding my hand?" she pointed down at the interlocked hands as they continued to walk.

"It's for reassurance. I'm still not entirely sure on how I feel about the whole Bulbasaur thing and holding your hand is kind of helping me deal with it since you seem to be okay with it. Why? Is it making you uncomfortable because I can-"

"No, it's alright I was just wondering is all." He nodded and gave her a smile as they continued walking to the lab. May had other things on her mind though.

'_Ash is super dense! Doesn't he know what holding hands signifies…at all?! Apparently not because he's still holding onto to mine for dear life. I really wish he would come to terms with well…discovering what the difference between friendship and love is and I wish he'd do it soon. I can't help but wonder what goes on through his mind to make him so clueless!'_ May sighed in defeat as they reached the gate to the lab and began to climb up the stairs.

"So how've you been?" Ash piped up and asked the girl behind him.

"Good. I got my fourth ribbon just before I came home a few days ago. What about you? How many badges do you have now?" She asked him curiously.

"I have four right now. So I'm half way there." He said in a proud tone of voice. May giggled at the sight. He smiled back at her and continued to climb the stairs up to Professor Oak's lab.

**Kris: Well this was shorter than the previous one huh?**

**Mikey: Yep! It sure was!**

**May: So how long is this thing going to be?**

**Kris: I estimate around five Chapters or so…**

**Ash: How exciting!**

**AJ: Ew…that's creepy dad.**

**Gary: Everything your dad does is creepy.**

**Ash: Why do I always get picked on?**

**Kris: I don't know…**

**All: Thanks for reading! 4 Sure!**

**R&R**


	3. Chapter 3

**Kris: Hi! Hi! Everyone! Deck the halls!**

**AJ: Why would you want to punch the halls? What did they ever do to you?**

**Mikey: No! Not deck as in "Deck 'em real good!" but deck as in decorate. You know?**

**AJ: …oh…nevermind then…**

**Gary: Genius…**

**May: Hey! Don't talk about my kid!**

**AJ: I am not a goat!**

**Kris: I don't own pokémon. You guys fight way too much!**

**All: Whatever! Start the party!**

And Unto Us

Chapter 3

"Good you're here. The Professor was wondering when you guys would arrive." Tracy answered the door and addressed the two trainers. "Wait…are you guys…you know?" he asked pointing down at their intertwined hands.

"It's for reassurance." They both responded.

"Oh, well come on in." he led them inside and through the lab all the way back to the ranch. Although this would be her second time at the Oak coral, May was taken aback by all the scenery and the hundreds of pokémon that inhabited it. Most of them belonging to the boy that held her hand. She gaped at the sight and resembled a child in a candy store.

"You want to see the egg now May?" he gently squeezed her hand a bit to grab her attention. She turned her head and nodded. They entered the east part of the ranch where most of the grass type pokémon hung out.

"Hey you two! Look who I brought with me." Ash yelled to the unsuspecting parents who then turned their attention to their trainers.

"Bulba!" the one with the heart shaped spot on its head jumped into May's arms.

"Oh my goodness! I've missed you so much Bulbasaur." She hugged it tightly with affection. May knelt down as she sat her Bulbasaur next Ash's. She smiled at both pokémon as a faint blush crept upon her cheeks when she watched them snuggle each other. 

'_Didn't I hear someone say that the feelings of pokémon reflect on their trainers? Does this mean…'_

"Here May, here's the egg." Ash snapped her out of her current thought and presented her the crème colored egg with green spots. She gasped happily and took the egg in her arms like a newborn child. She rubbed the egg softly against her cheek as the outer shell brushed her face. Ash stared at her reaction and couldn't help but smile. He knew May was a sucker for this kind of things and it did his heart good to see her this happy.

"You know May, I was thinking last night." He started as he stared out at the water, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah?" she answered while cradling the egg and rocking it in her arms.

"Mmhm. I was thinking that…you should keep the egg." He said.

"What?" she asked strangely.

"Yeah, I mean you have a lot of experience with eggs and babies and-"

"Not another word Ash Ketchum!" she stopped him in mid-sentence.

"Huh?" he started, confused by her sudden outburst.

"It wouldn't be fair if I raised the egg all by myself. I mean since it is our Bulbasaur's it belongs to both of us. We should raise it…together." She answered with a hopeful smile and a light blush across her cheeks.

"You really think so?" he asked her.

"I think our Bulbasaur's would like that." She gestured towards the couple sitting in front of the frozen pond cuddling.

"You're right May. We _should _raise it together." He gently rubbed the egg as May continued to hold it.

.-.

"So, you're planning to raise it together? That sounds like a pretty good idea you two." Professor Oak approved of their idea as they sat in the main part of the lab where the couches and chairs resided.

"This is going to be so exciting!" May cheered as she softly hugged the egg.

"I'll get you an egg carrier so you can take it right home with you." He suggested.

"That'll be great professor." Ash said as the Professor went into the back room. He looked over at May who seemed to be and daze at the moment. She continued to hold the egg against her body and rub the shell in circular moments. He smiled at her contentment and was somewhat looking forward to spending however many days with her until the egg hatched.

"Now a pokémon egg usually takes 50 days or so to hatch after being laid. Since we found about it 45 days ago, it should be hatching any day now. You two take good care of it. I know you will." He said as they stood up and smiled. May walked over to Ash and placed the egg inside. Soon they were waving goodbye and exiting the lab, getting ready for the long walk back to Ash's house.

While walking, May couldn't help but cringe at the cold wind hitting her collarbone. She stopped walking and tried to adjust the scarf she was wearing. Ash took notice and turned back to see her struggling. He walked back to where she was and slowly took the egg from her arms. She looked up at him in surprise but smiled. He nodded, standing before her as she adjusted it.

"Thanks…" she whispered.

"Don't mention it." He smiled at her. May felt an odd warmth rising to her face. She looked down only to be met by her reflection shining from the case of the egg. May gulped inaudibly and raised her eyes to meet Ash's. He was looking over to the side. She sighed, reaching up to take the egg back when she heard faint yelling.

"Pika pi!" both trainers looked to the side to see a blur of yellow coming up the road with another blur following close behind. A grin broke out across Ash's face as he recognized the blur of yellow to be his faithful companion, Pikachu.

"Hey buddy!" He cried as the electric-type jumped onto his shoulder. He licked Ash's cheek before taking noticed of the body standing in front of him. May smiled at the pokémon and the close relationship between the two.

Soon the other blur turned out to be Dawn carrying two large shopping bags and she joined up with the two. Her eyes widened when she saw May with Ash standing together in the middle of the road.

"Hi May! Ash told me you were coming! Wow, it's great to see you." the blue-haired girl exclaimed.

"Yeah. It's great to see you too. It's been so long." May added. The other girl nodded before her eyes fell on the egg in Ash's arms.

"Hey…is that…is that the egg?" she asked quietly while pointing to it. Ash nodded and turned so the girl could get a better view of it. Dawn's eyes widened as she touched the glass with her hand and smiled.

"It's so pretty." She said, her eyes sparkling. "You guys are lucky, I want one." Dawn playfully crossed her arms over her chest in a huff. Ash and May laughed and the trio began to make their way back to Ash's house.

.-.

"Oh my! What a cute little egg." Delia exclaimed as Ash held it before her. May and Dawn stood in the background laughing at Ash's facial expression. Him being a guy, he didn't understand what was so darn cute about the egg but he merely shrugged it off as his mom and friends just being weird.

After getting settled, Ash made his way upstairs where Pikachu immediately hopped on the bed and fell into a quick slumber.

"Yep, shopping with Dawn will definitely take your energy." Ash laughed, giving his starter a gentle pat on the head. He was soon headed out of his room with the egg in his arms as he walked back downstairs to the main room. Inside, May was on the floor, looking up at the TV screen while Dawn was sitting with her legs folded, filing her nails.

"So what all did you get Dawn?" Ash asked, sitting the egg on the floor. Dawn looked up from her filing and smiled wryly.

"Oh a little bit of this and a little of that." She shrugged. Ash pursed his lips in a tight frown before crossing his arms over his chest.

"Come on Ash, you can't expect her to tell you. I mean it _is_ a Christmas, after all." He heard May call out from down below him. He scoffed at both of them, his eyes falling on the egg.

"Speaking of Christmas, are you okay with spending it away from your family, May?" Dawn asked, looking down at the girl. May turned her head slightly before grinning in response.

"Yeah, I mean I was in Hoenn when I got the call from the Professor. But I like it here, I always feel at home." She explained. Ash and Dawn nodded before Dawn stood up, and brushed her skirt off. She headed toward the door where her gift bags sat.

"Well, since Christmas is only a couple days away I should probably get started on wrapping these presents I got. See you guys later." With that the Sinnoh native left for the upstairs guestroom, her bags in tow.

Ash and May watched her leave before turning their attention back to their previous thoughts. For some reason, May couldn't seem to focus on the Christmas Special that was on TV. She found herself absentmindedly tracing the carpet below her while resting her head in her palm.

Ash on the other hand, had the egg sitting atop his lap with a content expression on his face. He admired the green designs plastered all around it and he smiled. To him, it was nice to have an egg. He couldn't ever really recall having one of his own, even if it was partially his. He then averted his gaze down to May who was lying on her stomach quietly as if she were asleep. Sitting the egg aside momentarily, he knelt down to lie next to her.

"Hey…" he started. She whipped her head in an instant then gave a sigh of relief to which she received a cocked eyebrow.

"Don't sneak up on me like that." She lightly scolded him with a smile on her face. Ash shook his head, getting in a comfortable position, much like hers.

"So…how are we going to do this?" He asked oddly. May turned her head to him again with confusion written across her face. A moment later she realized what he was talking about.

"Uhm…I don't know. I only said that we should raise it together because it didn't feel right that I should have possession of the egg when it partially belongs to both of us you know? And…because…" her one solid speech became choppy as she looked down with a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.

"What is it?" Ash asked, leaning closer to her. He hadn't noticed how his proximity had affected her.

"Because I-"

"Dinner's ready!" Delia's voice stopped her in mid-sentence. At that, May sighed and stood up. She dusted off her outfit and extended a hand out to help the boy up. He gladly took it but didn't let go, she noticed.

"What? Do you need more reassurance?" she asked, humor hidden in her tone.

"No, this is for you. Next time when we talk, if you want to hold my hand, it's right here. Okay?" he said with a toothy grin. With that, he left blushing girl in the room holding a hand close to her rapidly beating heart.

**Kris: Awh! What a cute way to finish off this chapter!**

**Gary: Don't make me gag!**

**Mikey: I remember when I used to say stuff like that…**

**May: Ash…why are you so dense?**

**Ash: What is this…dense you speak of???**

**May: You are hopeless.**

**Ash: Awh! That's so mean!**

**Kris: Haha! Where's AJ?**

**AJ: What? What?**

**Kris: Er…say goodbye AJ.**

**AJ: Goodbye AJ!**

**Kris: We have two more chapters after this!**

**All: Thanks for reading! 4 Sure!**

**R&R**


	4. Chapter 4

**Kris: Hi! Hi! Everyone!**

**May: Jingle Bells!**

**Ash: Krystal smells!**

**Kris: Huh?**

**AJ: Mikey laid an egg!**

**Mikey: What?**

**Kris: The Oldsmobile lost a wheel!**

**Mikey: And Gary didn't get away!**

**Gary: Hey!**

**All: Get him!**

**Gary: Shoot! KrystalClear101 does not own pokémon!**

**Kris: Here we go!**

**All: Start the party!**

And Unto Us

Chapter 4

It was around six in the morning when the first snowflakes began to fall from the sky. At that time, May was wide-awake, staring out the window of the guest bedroom she was sharing with Dawn. The only sound that could be heard was Dawn's soft snoring. May sighed, resting her head in the palm of her right hand. She couldn't stop thinking about what Ash had said to her the night before.

"_No, this is for you. Next time when we talk, if you want to hold my hand, it's right here. Okay?"_

It was so sweet and almost out of character for him. But at the same time not really since he had no idea what something like that could symbolize. His cluelessness was making her giddy and frustrated at the same. Sure Ash had always been nice to her and she appreciated that. But she couldn't help but look at him differently now since his gestures toward her signified more than friendship.

'_I wish he knew what he was doing. Then I wouldn't be so confused. Ugh!'_ she blew up her bangs in frustration. Feeling so engrossed in her thoughts, she failed to notice a certain electric type making his way over to her.

"Kachu pi?" he started. May looked down to see Pikachu staring at her with his head titled cutely to the side. She smiled warmly, patting a spot on her lap for him to join her. He agreed with a grin and hopped on her lap. May scratched behind his ear like she had always seen Ash do. He cooed affectionately and leaned into her touch.

"Hey Pikachu, do you know why Ash is so oblivious when it comes to love?" she asked the pokémon to which he made a sound that came out like a sigh.

"So you don't know either? Figures, hehe." She laughed as well, beginning to enjoy the calm silence that surrounded them. But it was short lived once her stomach began to growl. She blushed, holding onto it. May looked down at the electric type with a smile.

"You want to get some breakfast?" she asked him. He nodded, positioning himself on her shoulder, much like he would do with Ash. May giggled and got up from her sitting position and made her way to the door. As she reached for the knob, the door swung open and she stumbled back. Ash was standing there looking a tad bit worried.

Worry soon turned into surprise when he saw May standing before him with Pikachu perched on her shoulder. He sighed, scratching behind his head lightly. May arched an eyebrow at him with a smile on her face. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him an expectant look.

"Eh, good morning May." He said. May rolled her eyes and brushed past him.

"You were looking for Pikachu, weren't you? Honestly Ash you've got to stop being such an overprotective trainer. He's fine." She said. He sighed, following her down the hallway and down the stairs.

"Yeah…" his voice oddly trailed off, May noticed. She shrugged and soon the two were in the kitchen where Delia was expertly flipping pancakes and frying eggs at the same time. The two gawked at the sight, standing in the doorframe of the kitchen. Feeling their presence, Delia turned her head and smiled.

"Good morning Ash, May. How did you two sleep?" she asked, wiping her hands the white apron tied around her back. Ash walked in the kitchen and pulled out Pikachu's feeding bowl. He poured some pokémon food inside and the electric type was soon on the floor enjoying his breakfast.

"I slept good." Ash replied, tracing the table with his finger. May joined Delia by the stove and grabbed the spatula that the older woman had been holding previously. The brunette began flipping the pancakes while smiling.

"I did too. But I guess I wasn't as tired as I thought. I got up really early." She said, placing a few cakes on a plate before turning to see Delia with her hand on her hip. May laughed nervously and whispered a small apology. She then joined Ash at the table. Everyone's attention turned to the sleepy looking girl shuffling into the kitchen while rubbing her eyes. Dawn plopped down next to Ash with her eyes laded.

"Good –yawn- morning everyone." She said. May smiled and Ash just shook his head at his companion. Soon there were plates in front of the trainers and they began to eat their breakfast. Ash layered his pancakes with maple syrup and dove right into them, May following suit. Dawn was very slow about eating hers, cutting off each piece and calmly placing it in her mouth.

"Anybody want juice?" Ash asked, slipping his plate into the sink. May raised her hands, mouth full of eggs. Dawn also raised her hand, feeling more awake.

"So what are you three planning to do today?" Delia asked, standing at the sink. Ash returned to the table with three cups and a gallon of orange juice. He shrugged, pouring a generous amount in all three before returning the gallon to the fridge.

"I haven't really done any shopping so it would be nice if we could go." May said, taking a sip of the juice. Dawn gave a sigh. This earned her a look from all three people.

"I would go with you May, but I've already been twice." Dawn sighed again, drinking from her orange juice as well. May pouted, resting her head in her hands. She was at a loss for she knew Ash would never go. She remembered the many times of traveling with him how he always avoided going shopping.

Ash finished off his juice and noticed May's downtrodden expression and felt something odd in his chest. He couldn't help but feel bad for her. He knew that shopping was one of her favorite things to do and she had probably planned to do with Dawn. That's when he did something he knew he was going to regret.

"I'll go with you." He sprang up out of nowhere. At that, all three women in the room gave him the most incredulous look he had every received in his entire life.

"You'll what?" they all asked in unison. This time Ash cocked an eyebrow at all three of them as if what he just offered was completely ludicrous…and it was.

"I said I'd go with. You seemed kind of down that Dawn wasn't up to it, so I'll go with you." He repeated himself. The stares lessened but he could still feel them. May laughed, taking her plate to the sink as well.

"Okay, I mean if that's what you want to do. Are you okay with going right now? That way we could probably be done by noon." She said.

"By noon?! How much shopping do you need to do?" he asked, giving her the incredulous look. May shook her hand, making her way out of the kitchen. Dawn followed the girl, giggling into her hand.

"Poor Ash." May said as they mounted the stairs.

"Poor naïve, simple, Ash." Dawn finished. They both burst into a fit of laughter, retreating to the guest bedroom.

.-.

And oh how naïve and simple he was for thinking that May couldn't shop from nine in the morning until the afternoon. Store after store, they went into. May bought something from each one and before he knew it, his arms became her personal bag carrier. They had left the egg in Dawn's care, May's suggestion to which Ash was eternally grateful. He dreaded passing every store in Pallet. Even though there weren't a lot of stores, there seemed like a lot.

"Come on Ash, we still have at least thirty minutes left." May called from ahead of him. About an hour into their endeavor, she took about half the bags he was carrying them as if they were as light as a feather. Ash couldn't understand how she could stand the weight while he was trying to keep himself from falling over.

"Thirty minutes of h-" his sentence was interrupted when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. In one of the store window's was a blanket. It was a pea green color, soft and calm. He almost couldn't look away. Ash looked over at May to see her marveling something in another store.

"Hey May?" He started. She whipped around, her hair softly hitting her face.

"Yes?" she answered sweetly.

"I'm gonna go in here for a couple minutes okay?" he said. She nodded and continued to gaze through the other store window. Ash made his way inside and began looking for the blanket in the showcase. The inside of the store smelled of apples and cinnamon. The walls were a light orange and the carpet below was a plain grey color.

"What kind of store is this?" he asked. All around him were pillows, blankets, sheets, and more. He had never even seen this store before now.

"It must be new." He concluded. His eyes soon fell on the blanket he came in the store for. He reached out his hand. It was soft to the touch, made from fleece. He smiled, holding it in his hands as he sat May's bags down. That's when he decided to get it.

"For when the egg hatches. It'll need a blanket right?" Ash reassured himself. Feeling good about his decision, he picked the bags back up and made his way to the front where the register was. There was a girl standing there with her head resting in her palm. She yawned softly while brushing her fingers against the navy blue apron she was wearing. It took her awhile to notice Ash making his way to her register. At the sight of him, she perked up.

"Uhm, hi! Is this all for you?" she asked as he laid the blanket on the counter for her to scan. He nodded, looking about the counter. There were various things like mints, bracelets, little candies and such decorated all around it.

"That'll be 12 pokédollars." She said ringing up the item. "Would you like a gift box?" she asked. He nodded, reaching into his pocket for his wallet.

"Here." He said, handing her the correct amount of money. She took the cash from his hands, entered a few buttons on the computer and soon the drawer opened up. She placed each bill in the correct slot before pushing the drawer closed and ripping the receipt from the computer.

"Would you like your receipt with you or in the bag?" she asked. He shrugged. She nodded, folding the blanket. After that was done, she grabbed a box from the floor. It was purple and white with blue snowflakes on it. Getting some tissue paper from another drawer, she boxed the blanket and slipped it and the receipt in a bag then handed it to Ash.

"Thanks, Merry Christmas." He said, taking it from her. She nodded as he left the store. Coming out, he noticed that there was a crowd outside of the store and May was nowhere to be found. He sighed, trying to look over the people.

"Ash! Ash!" he heard his name being yelled. He looked up to see a familiar gloved hand waving about in the crowd. Soon May came stumbling out of the crowd carrying not only the bags she had before but another bag, this one Ash was actually happy to see.

"I'm sorry. I went to get us something eat and then this crowd just came out of nowhere." She explained with a sheepish grin. Ash just shook his head. May smiled, showing him the bag of food that was securely in her hand.

"I figure we can quit and spend the rest of Christmas Eve at your house. You've suffered enough." She said, walking passed him. He sighed with a look of relief written across his face.

.-.

"Whoa, you guys covered a lot of ground. Just look at all the bags you have." Dawn exclaimed once the two entered the house. They needed help getting everything inside. Some things were still out on the porch. Once everything was inside, Ash took a well-deserved rest on the couch where he remained for a good thirty minutes. The three women smiled.

Dawn walked over to him and placed the egg in his lap. He jumped, holding the egg with both arms. Dawn laughed at his reaction to which she earned a glare from the boy. Ash just sighed, sitting the egg on the coffee table in front of him. May smiled and took the bags up to the guest room to wrap them.

"I outdid myself this year." She said, admiring all the bags she had accumulated over the day. She sighed, fumbling through one bag that held all of her wrapping materials. Inside was a bag of shiny bows, tape, wrapping paper, boxes, and ribbon. She had borrowed a pair of scissors from Delia before she retreated to the room.

Most of things she bought already had boxes so the only she had to do with those was tape them down and slide them under the tree. Everything else either had to be wrapped, or boxed, then wrapped. It was a task meant for more than one person. She understood why Santa had helpers.

On her third yawn, she was already on the second to last gift. This was a present for Dawn, if she remembered correctly. She had gotten her a pajama set that had Piplup all over. She knew the blue-haired girl was going to love it and couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she opened it.

But she yawned again, finishing the last one. That's when she reached for another box that already had something inside. Pulling on the roll of wrapping paper, she rubbed her eyes slowly. She could feel her eyes getting heavy every time she blinked.

'_No, I can't fall asleep yet, I have to finish wrapping this last…'_ with that, she fell over in exhaustion.

"Hey, May's been up there for awhile. Maybe someone should go check up on her." Dawn suggested. Ash was completely oblivious to her suggestion. He was engrossed in the annual Pokémon Christmas battle that aired every year. She rolled her eyes, getting up from her seat. Dawn walked upstairs and turned towards the guest room where the door was cracked.

She peeked inside to see May hunched over on the bed, a red bow stuck in her hair, her body unmoving. She stifled a laugh before softly closing the door shut. She knew May must've been tired, what from getting up early, then going shopping with Ash. She needed a nap.

"So tomorrow is Christmas, eh? I'm kind of excited." Dawn squealed, making her way back downstairs to see if Delia needed any more help.

**Kris: The end! Not! We still got one more to go!**

**Mikey: Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!**

**AJ: The fire is slowly dying!**

**May: Awh! I don't know that song!**

**Ash: Neither do I…**

**Gary: When we finally kiss goodnight, how I hate to go out in the cold!**

**Kris: But as long as you hold me tight, all the way home I'll be warm!**

**Ash: I hate you guys!**

**May: Same here…**

**Kris: Haha! Last chapter will be up tomorrow!**

**All: Thanks for reading! 4 sure! **

**R&R**


	5. Chapter 5

**Kris: Hi! Hi! Everyone!**

**Mikey: Merry Christmas!**

**AJ: Awh! I wanted to say it!**

**May: You can still say it…**

**AJ: I'm the oldest so I should get to say it!**

**Ash: Age means nothing!**

**AJ: Thanks for the support dad…**

**Gary: So glad I don't have kids…**

**Kris: Oh but you do!**

**Gary: …what?**

**Junior: How dare you forget about me!!!**

**All: JUNIOR!**

**Junior: It's Gary Jr!**

**Kris: Whatever Junior, anyway I sadly do not own pokémon, if I did Ash would've been written out a long time ago.**

**Ash: I told you! Sabotage!!!**

**All: Start the party!**

And Unto Us

Chapter 5

"Oh! Wake up! Wake up! Come on May! Wake uuuupppp!" Dawn jumped up and down on the bed, squealing loudly. She was trying to wake her heavy sleeper of a roommate up. It was working to a certain extent. May had tried several times to swipe at the girl's legs with her arms but only ended up missing like Dawn was playing jump rope.

"Dawn! Come on, I'm so tired!" May groaned, smashing her pillow against Dawn's legs then returning it to her head. Dawn frowned, sitting down on her legs. She pouted and started to poke the brunette.

"But it's Christmas May! It's my first Christmas away from home. Come on, don't you remember your first Christmas away from home?" Dawn asked, mustering the softest voice she could. Then she heard a sigh coming from the girl, which brought a smile to her face. May sat up, hair in every direction with a frustrated frown adorning her features.

"Fine, I'll get up. But don't get mad if I fall asleep while we're opening presents." With that, Dawn continued her bed jumping with a wide grin on her face. May merely smiled, getting up from the bed and walking over to the chair where a pink colored robe sat. Picking it up, she wrapped it around herself and yawned. May then approached the dresser and grabbed the brush that was amongst the rest of the things. While brushing her hair, May hummed a Christmas tune in her head and smiled.

'_I can't believe it's already Christmas. It kind of snuck up on us this year.'_ She smiled, feeling satisfied with her hair. With that done, May quickly spotted the egg on the chair that her robe was on.

"Hurry up May!" Dawn called from outside the door. May sighed, unlocking the case. She carefully took the crème egg out and placed it in her lap. She scanned her surroundings for a towel. Spotting it on the floor, she picked it up and began rubbing the shell in soft, circular motions. She felt nostalgic. She remembered doing the same thing with Eevee's egg.

"You're going to grow up to be a strong pokémon like your father and graceful like your mother. Just you wait." She beamed, giving the egg a soft peck. Suddenly she felt a small pulse inside of it, like it had woken up. She jumped in surprise at the tiny sensation then a small giggle came out of her mouth. After the egg had been properly taken care of she placed it back on the case and took in her arms. May then made her way out the door and down the stairs.

Surprisingly, everyone was down in the living room before her. Feeling embarrassed, she quickly found a seat next to Dawn who couldn't stop herself from fidgeting. May placed a gentle hand on Dawn's shoulder to calm her down. Dawn gave the girl a surprised look before settling down and smiling in gratitude. Next, Delia stood up in front of the tree, wearing a purple robe similar to May's.

"I was expecting to be spending Christmas alone this year, but when I heard that Ash was going to be here, my holiday got so much better. Then you wonderful girls showed up and that brought joy to my heart. I'm just so grateful to have all of you hear. So with that, I made each of you something that I hope you'll enjoy." She beamed, bending down to pick up three rectangular boxes, each of them marked with a tag. The first one she handed to Ash, then May, lastly Dawn.

"Thanks!" they said in unison. Ash opened his box and pulled out a new vest the same design as his current one. The only difference was the yellow 'V' was green instead. Also there was a new pair of fingerless gloves with a blue outline. May was next, opening her box to reveal a bright blue bandana, much like her green one and another dress, it was blue as well.

Dawn ripped through her box and pulled out a new white scarf, a pink beanie, and a purple knit top to replace her black one. All three trainers beamed at their presents and each shot up to give the mother a hug before returning to their seats. Then Dawn got up, grabbed a few presents then held them behind her back.

"Well I haven't known you guys for all that long, but you're like family to me and I'm grateful for everything single thing you've done for me." She giggled, handing Ash his present. It was in a red gift bag with green tissue paper sticking out. He removed the paper and pulled out a brand new badge case. He gapped opening it up and seeing a designated place for each Sinnoh badge.

"Whoa Dawn. This is awesome, thanks!" he beamed. She handed the next one to Delia, who looked surprised. This one was also a bag. Delia went through the bag and pulled out a picture frame. Looking at it, she burst into a fit of laughter. It was a picture of Ash doing laundry, folding his 'you-know-what's.'

"I'm so proud of you Ash." Delia said, getting teary-eyed. Ash shot a glare in Dawn's direction to which she shrugged and May laughed. Dawn then handed May a smaller gift in the shape of a square. May ripped through the paper and smiled. It was a Torchic pendant similar to the one she had given Dawn when they first met.

"Thanks Dawn, this is so cute!" the brunette said.

It went on like that for another fifteen minutes, each person giving gifts to the other three until there were only a select few under the tree. Dawn got up several times, just give out little presents to the pokémon like bows and ribbons. May did the same with her group of partners, at least the ones that could fit in the room. No one, however, noticed the strange activity that was going on next to May.

Then Ash came up, holding the box that had the blanket inside. He shuffled awkwardly, holding the expertly wrapped present in his hands.

"I got this yesterday as a kind of spur of the moment thing. I saw it in one of the store windows and decided to get it. But…uh…I don't know who I should give it to." He laughed nervously. Dawn fell over; Delia gave her son a sympathetic look while May just shook her head.

"I guess it's kind of for the egg." He shrugged. His eyes fell on the object in question. That's when he noticed it was glowing on and off.

"Whoa! The egg!" he exclaimed, rushing towards it. At that, May also looked down to see it flashing like she had seen other eggs do.

"Is it…is it about to hatch?" Dawn asked, coming up behind Ash. Delia got up from her seat and walked over to the egg. She carefully took it out of the case and walked calmly to the kitchen. The three trainers stared at her oddly before following her. The maroon haired woman was heating up some water, still holding the egg in her arms.

"Don't worry, I've done this plenty of times. We just need to give the egg time and space and it will hatch safe and sound, okay? Ash, go get a towel from the bathroom." He nodded and rushed up the stairs. As they waited for the boy to return, the flashing became faster and faster, happening almost every other second. Ash's hurried footsteps could be heard and soon he was back in the kitchen, panting. He handed the towel to his mother.

Delia then set the egg on May's arms. She positioned the towel on the table and gestured for May to place the egg on the towel. By this time the flashing had increased ten-fold. It was going to hatch any second. Dawn bit her fingernails nervously. May had a hand held up to her chest as she waited. Ash retreated back to the living room for the present he was about to open.

Then a calming noise sounded throughout the house, giving humans and pokémon alike a serene feeling. It was almost like a soothe bell. The egg flashed brightly, blinding them all. Once the flashing died down, the form of a Bulbasaur could faintly be seen. Soon the vision of the pokémon became clear and there sat the green grass type, sitting calmly with its eyes closed. At that moment, Ash came in the kitchen, green blanket in hand. May took a cautious step forward, as not to alert the new born.

Slowly, it opened its eyes revealing a dull red color. The first thing it saw was May with a gentle smile on her face. It blinked several times, its eyes then falling on Ash, who was holding the blanket with a small grin. It yawned cutely as May picked it up in her arms, rocking it gently. Ash then took this opportunity to drape the blanket over the baby pokémon. May looked up at him with surprise.

"Is this the present you were talking about?" she asked, looking up at him. He nodded, patting the pokémon gently.

"Yeah, do you like it?" he asked. May nodded, smiling down on the grass type as it fell into a soft slumber.

"I think it's a wonderful gift." She beamed up at him. He blushed at her smile, but returned the gesture. Dawn smiled, looking at the two. She walked over to Delia, who looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"What proud parents they look like, huh?" Dawn whispered. Delia nodded, wiping mock tears from her eyes.

"If only they would get together. That would seal the deal."

.-.

The remainder of the holiday was spent taking care of the little bundle of joy, which didn't require much work. The little Bulbasaur wasn't any trouble at all, much like its father, it was calm and level headed, not mischievous at all. Ash and May were grateful for that. While the two were giving it a bath, Dawn was lying on the couch reading a _Pokémon Weekly_ magazine. When she looked up, she saw Delia standing on a chair with a stapler in her hand. She cocked an eyebrow at the lady and got up to get a better view of what she was doing.

"Er…Ms. Ketchum? What are you doing?" Dawn asked. Delia then mounted from the chair and smiled, pointing upwards. The girl looked up at see a thing of mistletoe dangling from the doorpost.

"Oh, I see. You're bad Ms. Ketchum." Dawn waved a finger at her. Delia giggled, holding a hand over her mouth.

"I have to get them together somehow. There's no way they'd do it on their own." Dawn nodded in agreement. Delia pushed the chair back by the table and returned to the kitchen to finish up dinner. When she heard footsteps coming from the stairs, she grinned.

"Hey mom, there aren't anymore towels in the bathroom." Ash said, coming in the kitchen with water stains all over his clothes.

"They're in the dryer, you'll have to get them out." Delia said. Ash sighed, beginning to leave. That's when May appeared from the door, with a towel wrapped Bulbasaur in her arms. Dawn looked up once more to see both trainers standing directly under the mistletoe. She gapped at the sight.

'_I didn't think they'd fall for it that quick!' _she giggled, anticipating their reaction.

"I found one so it's no big deal." May shrugged beginning to leave.

"Hold it!" Delia called. At the May stopped and both she and Ash looked at her strangely.

"What is it mom?" Ash asked.

"Look up." She said with a smirk etched across her face. Simultaneously, both of them looked up to see that familiar leave above them, mocking them. May then shot her head back down, a dark blush covering up the majority of her face. Ash's head came down a bit slower as the wheels began to turn in his head.

'_Mistletoe…May and I…k-kiss?!' _he gulped, looking down at the girl who refused to meet his gaze. He understood why. They were best friends for Pete's sake! Refusal was out of the question as he felt both his mother's and Dawn's eyes on him. So he did the only thing he felt comfortable with. He took May's hand in his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. He immediately felt as ease. Her gaze met his and he automatically knew what she was saying.

'_Are you sure?'_

'_Positive.'_

'_Then I am too.' _Her smile returned and before he knew it, they were both leaning in, eyes closing slightly, lips puckered. Then they had contact. Ash noted at the softness of her lips and how hesitant she seemed at first. He was the same way, but as the kiss continued, hesitation turned into bliss. And that's when it hit him. He finally understood why holding her hand made him feel better, why he was looking forward to spending time with her raising the egg. Why he agreed to go shopping with her.

'_I like her. I…I really, really like May. I do.' _Then the kiss broke. His stomach did flips when she smiled sweetly at him, giving his hand a squeeze. He smiled back, the mantra running through his mind like a broken record.

'_I like May. I really like May. I…I love May.'_

"I love you May." His thoughts spoke. His eyes widened at the statement, as did May's. But he couldn't deny the truth behind it. Every word was true. The brunette looked at him like she was ready to cry. If the sleeping Bulbasaur had not been in her arms, she would've hugged the boy.

"I…I love you too Ash." She said, through her tears. She laughed to herself, looking down at the baby. Ash laughed as well, rubbing its green skin softly.

"Awh!" They heard from both sides of the room.

"It's about time you two got together." Dawn said, her hand resting on her hip.

"Now it's a Merry Christmas!" Delia exclaimed giving both them a hug only a mother could give. At that, the baby in May's arms woke up and yawned. It then looked up at May and Ash and smiled.

"Bulbasaur!" it cried, snuggling up in May's chest. She giggled, laying her head on Ash's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and continued to pet the new addition to their pokémon family.

'_It is a Merry Christmas.'_

THE END

**Kris: It's over!**

**All: Awh!**

**Junior: Yay! Now my dad can start spending more time with me then he won't forget me!**

**Gary: Er…yeah…**

**May: Oh the joys of having children. Right Ash?**

**Ash: What?**

**May: -.- nevermind…**

**Ash: Er…yeah…**

**AJ: Merry Christmas!**

**Mikey: That wasn't random at all!**

**AJ: I just wanted to say it!**

**Kris: And you did! This is done, I hope you all like it!**

**All: MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY NEW YEAR…if we don't see you for the rest of the year…4 Sure!**

**R&R**


End file.
